A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Colman, Edward

COLMAN, Edward, son of Dr. Charles Colman, was a singing master and teacher of the lute and viol. In 1656 he and his wife took part in the performance of the first part of Sir William Davenant's 'Siege of Rhodes,' at Rutland House, she playing Ianthe, and the little they had to say being spoken in recitative. Upon the re-establishment of the Chapel Royal in 1660 Colman was appointed one of the gentlemen. Of Mrs. Colman, who was one of the first females who appeared on the English stage, Pepys, who was well acquainted with both her and her husband, writes, under date of Oct. 31, 1665, 'She sung very finely, though her voice is decayed as to strength, but mighty sweet, though soft.' Colman died at Greenwich on Sunday, Aug. 19 [App. p.595 "29 (Dict. of Nat. Biog.)"], 1669. Some of his songs are printed in 'Select Musicall Ayres and Dialogues,' 1653, and other of his compositions in Playford's 'Musical Companion,' 1672. [App. p.594 & 5 adds that "he was the original composer of the music in Shirley's 'Contention of Ajax and Ulysses,' on its production in 1653, and that on Jan. 21, 1662, he took Lanier's place in the royal band."]

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